Report of Committee on the state of the Province

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The Committee on the State of the Province reported: which was read and accepted; and Ordered, That printed copies be sent to the several Committees of Correspondence, and where there is no such Committee, to the Selectmen of each Town and District in the Province; and that the same order be observed relative to the Address to the inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay, and that the Members of the Town of Boston, and the Secretary disperse the same. And is as followeth, viz:

Inasmuch as many states have been taught by fatal experience that powers delegated by the People for long periods have been abused to the endangering the publick rights and liberties, and this Congress having just reason to suppose that their constituents, the good People of this Province, when they appointed their present Delegates, were not apprehensive that the business necessary to be done would require their attendance for any long time,

Resolved, That the adjournment of this Congress on the twenty-ninth day of October last, was ordered and made from a due consideration of the present exigencies of the publick affairs, and the evident necessity of farther deliberation thereon. And whereas for the reason first mentioned, it is not expedient that there should be a farther adjournment of this Congress; therefore Resolved, That after the business necessary to be immediately despatched shall be finished, the Congress be dissolved.

And this Congress being deeply impressed with a sense of the increasing danger which threatens the Rights and Liberties of the People of this Province with total ruin; our adversaries being still indefatigable in their attempts to carry into execution their deep laid plans for that wicked purpose: And considering the indispensable necessity that an Assembly of the Province should be very frequently sitting to consult and devise means for their common safety; therefore Resolved, That it be, and it is hereby earnestly recommended to the several Towns and Districts in this Province, that they each of them do forthwith elect and depute as many Members as to them shall seem necessary and expedient, to represent them in a Provincial

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And considering the great uncertainty of the present times, and that unexpected important events may take place, from whence it may absolutely be necessary the Delegates who may be elected as above proposed should meet sooner than the day before mentioned, it is recommended to the several Towns and Districts, that they instruct and authorize their said Delegates, to assemble at Cambridge aforesaid, or any other place, upon notice given them of the necessity thereof, by the Delegates that may be chosen by the Towns of Charlestown, Cambridge, Brookline, Roxbury and Dorchester, or the majority of them, in such way as they shall judge proper.

And it is further recommended to the Delegates to be elected, that they conform themselves to such instructions.

Ordered, That the further consideration of the Report of the Committee appointed to take into consideration what allowance should be made the Delegates who attend the Continental Congress from this Province, be referred to the sitting of the next Provincial Congress.

The Committee appointed to take into consideration a plan of Military Exercise, proposed by Captain Pickering, and also the Petition of the Officers of the Northwest part of the County of Worcester, reported; the Report was read and accepted.

Ordered, That the expense of transmitting the Address to the Canadians be paid by this Government.

The business necessary to be immediately transacted, being finished, and the Congress having returned their Thanks to the Honourable John Hancock, Esq˙, for his constant attendance and faithful services as President during their session, dissolved the same, to convene again the first day of February next, conformably to the preceding Resolve.